My Garden

Photinia x fraseri

Last post 02-10-2008 6:26 PM by Rach. 9 replies.

• 28/09/2008 09:09 PM

  Rach Location: Hedge End, UK Joined on: 25 May 2008 Posts: 33

  Reply | Contact Evening everyone,  I have a Photinia x fraseri in my front garden which is 1 of 5 correctly spaced to make a hedge. 1 of the 5 has begun to get very poorly. The Leaves have all turned a deep red and some have gone brown and fallen off. I have sprayed for bugs e.g caterpillars and also for fungal problems but it is still not picking up. I have now added some manure on the base of the plant but this has done nothing.  All the other plants are fine the one next to it is a little pale but nothing that I am worried about. I have also sprayed and manured these too just in case, the plant is not over watered.  Can anyone advise? It has been thriving for over a year and only the last month or so it have started to hang its leaves in shame.  Please HELP!!  [:'(] Rach

• 28/09/2008 10:18 PM

  In reply to

  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347

  Reply | Contact I don't know what's wrong with it, but I doubt that spraying it with random chemicals will help. You need to discover the problem before you can cure it! I suggest you take a look at the very base of the stem. Is it planted deeper than the others? Is there sign of physical damage or rotting? Is this plant in wetter or drier soil than the others?   Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 28/09/2008 10:31 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact HHHmmmmnnnnn, It's probably going to die, whatever is going on it doesn't sound good, now that you've gone down the chemical route you may as well continue with your theory and spray it with something else,maybe a broad spectrum fungicide followed by a similar insecticide, but it's probably going to die anyway, If it were me I'd just chop it down and chuck it in the shredder and plant something else instead, I have plenty of young fuchsia magellanica if you want some let me know. digger

• 29/09/2008 01:04 PM

  In reply to

  Rach Location: Hedge End, UK Joined on: 25 May 2008 Posts: 33

  Reply | Contact Hello thank you for your comments. I have looked at the poorly one again and it seems that there may still be hope. The leaves on the underside are mostly still green, just a bit faded and the tops of the leaves have gone deep red. There are still new shoots but it is hard to tell how they will come out as they are supposed to be naturally red.Anyone got any further ideas I can try?I have cut off the worst affected and also aerated the base. The soils is not drowned or dry and the level of the plant is that same as the others. I will water it some tonight just on the base to make sure that it reaches the roots.Thank you, advice is greatly appreciated

• 01/10/2008 12:19 PM

  In reply to

  James1664 Location: UK Joined on: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 82

  Reply | Contact  try: 1.  Pruning hard 2.  Wack some granular feed around the base of the plant and fork into the soil 3.  Water regulary with hosepipe into the soil At the end of the day - its like a laurel and they respond well to hard pruning. Go to where you bought the plants and ask where they were sourced and what type of soil they had been grown in. What size are the plants?  Are they specimens or normal size?   Roll on the weekend!

• 01/10/2008 06:00 PM	In reply to
  Rach Location: Hedge End, UK Joined on: 25 May 2008 Posts: 33	Reply | Contact Hi,  Thanks 8760hoursayear, I'll do that tomorrow and see how it goes is there any granular feed in particular that you recommend?  The plants have been planted about a year ago into our soil and is bushy and roughly 4 half, 5 foot high.   Thanks   Rach

• 02/10/2008 11:35 AM	In reply to
  James1664 Location: UK Joined on: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 82	Reply | Contact  just any good granular feed that you find in garden centres.  There is a good feed out there which has a ratio of 6-18-0 and contains bone meal.  This would be ideal for your purpose but I'm not going to put the name on here for fear of getting into trouble.......................... Roll on the weekend!

• 02/10/2008 11:59 AM	In reply to
  Rach Location: Hedge End, UK Joined on: 25 May 2008 Posts: 33	Reply | Contact Thank you!  I'll go out now and find some.......fingers crossed!

• 02/10/2008 04:15 PM

  In reply to

  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043

  Reply | Contact The answer lies in the roots and feeding is not relevant and indeed a waste of money as the plant will make little growth, it being nearly winter and all, and the fertiliser will be washed out the soil to pollute watercourses.  Dig up your plant and check the root situation for all the usual suspects before replanting after remedying what you can: Planted too deep - roots should be just (which means a finger width) below the soil Roots failed to explore surrounding soil - replant after teasing out roots Soil very dry - plants with poor roots might find it difficult to access soil moisture if the site is on the dry side, in the rain shadow of building or large tree - soak in a bucket of water for two hours and replant and water well Roots rotted due to very wet soil - replace plant after improving drainage Roots rotted due to disease - look for fungal material or dark stains below bark, especially at soil level - replace plant after changing soil Damage to bark at ground level - replace plant and be more careful in future Plant has wobbled in wind leaving a 'socket' at ground level - stake and firm in Good luck, but remember that October is the best time to plant an evergreen shrub if replacement is necessary.   Boggy       Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 02/10/2008 06:26 PM	In reply to
  Rach Location: Hedge End, UK Joined on: 25 May 2008 Posts: 33	Reply | Contact Thanks Boggy   Rach